Astray: Continued
by Sweeney77760
Summary: Blocked out of old account, continuation of Sweeney7760 story Astray. "Robbie Shapiro thought that he and Cat Valentine would last forever... but forever was a figment and he was pathetically naive" Cabbie with a twist.
1. Chapter 1

**hey everyone so this is a new chapter of my story Astray with is on my other FF account- Sweeney7760 which I am unfortunately locked out from so if you are new and havent read it i would suggest doing so first because this is wayyyy into the story. Anyhoo hope you enjoy**

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 _He could still remember the timid smile she bestowed him as he took her hand in his. How it shook ever so slightly when a nervous laugh spilled out of her peachy lips when he placed the ring on the delicate finger. She was so beautiful even in a dress that was simple, made of pure satin, the exact colour of a snowdrop. She seemed to radiate, he couldn't take his eyes off her. That someone like her had chosen him. Out of all of the people in the world, he was the one that she would call her husband._

Robbie sat at the bottom of the bed, his hands toying with a soft yellow blanket. No tears had graced his face. To put it simply, he felt empty. He couldn't quite believe the circumstance that he found himself in. How could it be possible that after all this time, Cat Valentine would manage to complicate his life? To him, the girl was like a snowstorm. A blizzard that without warning would blow into his path. It amazed him how something so beautiful could be so dangerous.

Now he was left with a choice, a choice he felt he had make too often. Would he put her in front of his own needs again… did he even have the strength for the heartache again?

In this moment all he wanted to do was hold his daughter. Obviously she was too young to even comprehend what was happening. But when she heard this story when she was older, when she asked why her mother and father had problems. She had to know that it was nothing to do with the love that the both of them had for her. That sometimes the complexity of this situation was often too much for even Robbie himself to comprehend.

He stayed like that for what felt like an impossibly long time, his fingers still absentmindedly grazing over the fluffy yellow material of his daughter's blanket. His mind wandered, searching for some sort of a solution where everyone could end up with a happy ending. But in his heart he knew that he could never meet this expectation; because to please one you must hurt another.

He was guilty of this. It wasn't that long ago he had made a promise to help reunite a lost girl with her birth mother. Maia had trusted him and he had betrayed her. He knew where her mother was and he could have done the right thing, could have given her the closure that she wanted. But he had been so hurt by Cat, so utterly devastated by her actions, that he selfishly pushed Maia away.

It wasn't the first time this thought had occurred to him. Throughout the years, she would occasionally drift in and out of this thoughts. He wondered what kind of woman she had become. Had she taken there last encounter to heart? He would have done it different. But he couldn't tarnish what little she knew about her birth mother. But if he had known then what he did now, would he have thought that?

He just didn't know.

Angrily he scrunched the yellow blanket in a ball and tossed across the room where it managed to get caught in a photo frame. He watched as the smiling faces of his family in the frame came crashing to the floor, watched as glass cracked and burst into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Fuck!"

As the word fell out of his lips he heard a small gasp, his eyes drawn to the sudden sound.

Cat lingered by the door as though she was unsure if it was a smart choice to actually enter the room. The atmosphere was tense and they knew they could both sense it. After a moment, she made her decision. She bravely entered the room and sat beside him cross-legged on the floor.

"Robbie"

He glanced at her, noting how her head was dipped, how she used her hair as a shield from his cold glare.

"What?"

"I'm so sorry." She spoke quickly, as if her words would be less painful if she said them fast enough, "I just—I wish you had never met me. That when we were in school we were nothing more than two people who passed each other in the hallway and said hello to each other just to be pleasant."

"Why?" he asked, although he wasn't sure if he wanted the answer.

"Then you wouldn't have been involved with all this." She admitted, "You could have had a life that you deserved. That didn't revolve around me. Selfish me who was such an idiot. Who got herself pregnant and ran away."

"Cat—"

"No" she shook her head violently, "I'm right, I know I am. It's my fault. Everything was my fault."

He had merely glanced away for a second, but she was already out of the room. He followed after her even though he could already guess what she was doing. He watched as she for the second time during her stay, pulled the drawers open and flung what little clothes she had into an open bag on the bed. She carelessly dragged her nails across her face as she pulled her stringy hair out of her face, a small cut forming below her eye as she did so.

He didn't mean it to happen, never intended it happen. Without a second thought, he grabbed the bag from the bed and held it above his head as he walked down the hall.

"Give it back Robbie!" Cat pleaded as, like a child, she jumped and whined as she tried to cling onto the small bag that was just out of her reach.

"Why so you can do what always do?!" He said scathingly, "I am sick of this Cat. I have tried to be patient. I have tried to be kind. But you don't want to help yourself."

"I know!" she screamed like a demon as she clawed for the bag, "I hate myself. Ever since I put my trust in a man who broke me completely, who I let do horrible things to me, I just can't bring myself to even pretend anymore that I am something I am not. "

"Cat I-"

"Don't" she pleaded as she pushed him away, "I didn't even try to stop him, I said no. Why wasn't no enough Robbie? Why didn't I scream, or push him away or do anything? I just froze, I just let it happen."

Without uttering a single word he let the bag drop to the ground and pulled her into his arms, hoping that he could express everything in this single embrace. He didn't know how to make it better, if it was even remotely possible if he could. This man had stripped Cat of her innocence and was the cause of her demise.

"Cat" he said hoarsely, "You have to let me help you. All I have ever wanted to do was help. I can't do it alone, you have to let me get you help. I couldn't live with the guilt if you left me and I didn't try everything to make you stay. You've broken my heart once already, please don't do it again."

"I don't know if I can Robbie." She said as she dabbed her eyes dry using the edge of her sleeve, "It's not that simple."

"Cat." He sighed deeply, considering his next move, "You won't let me take you to the police but please let me take me somewhere, anywhere that isn't this house."

He extended his hand out to her and waited. She stared at his open palm, her eyebrows furrowing so slightly as she considered his request. Robbie wasn't sure what to expect or how she would react. But he had to try, he was completely out of options.

"I don't know if I can be helped." She said sheepishly, "But I want to try."

With that she took his hand, grasped it tightly and gave it a small, reassuring squeeze.

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Absentmindedly she tapped her pen against her notebook as she stared blankly at the board in front of her. Normally her psychology module enthralled her, she loved learning about human behaviours and the theory behind how people become the way they are. But today her brain felt fuzzy as if everything she heard just rattled about her mind, became scrambled and lost all meaning. She glanced around at the students around her, some were subtly texting below their desk, others clearly gossiping as their eyes darted back and forth between their peers.

"Maia"

She gave her friend Lilly a sour look as she broke her from her trance. Lily was grinning madly as she pointed down at the boy three rows down, "He keeps glancing up at you."

Maia rolled her eyes as she suppressed a smile, "I could care less Lil."

"Suit yourself." Lilly cocked an eyebrow as she happily slammed her book shut, "More for me."

Maia laughed breathily at her friend as she grabbed her bag and walked alongside her up the steps and out of the auditorium. Maia felt as a hand graze her arm as the dark haired boy in question brushed past her. She gave him a wicked smile and wave when he predictably glanced back to see if she noticed the subtle contact. He held door open to allow the girls to step out into the sunshine, Maia gave him a wink as she pulled her sunglasses down from her hair, covering her deep brown eyes.

It's not that she didn't appreciate male attention. It was always entertaining to flirt with the boys on her campus. She would allow them to buy her drinks, to dance with her. Maybe if she was feeling particular generous, she would even kiss them goodnight. But never any more than that.

She noted how all the boys seemed to like that, how she was an impossible conquest that they all seemed to think she was a game, a prize to be won. But in truth, she was scared to get close to anyone. She despised what came with it all it; the feelings and the wild emotions. Maybe it was cynical that she was only nineteen to think like that but she had seen what heartache looked like and she never wanted to experience it. People let you down and you shouldn't make yourself vulnerable to them.

She learnt that a long time ago.

She felt the buzz of her phone in her pocket and fished it out. She glared at the glowing screen that illuminated the face of her once favourite singer. Lily squealed and bounced up and down.

"Maia!" Lilly squealed and bounced up and down, "Tori Vega is performing tonight downtown! Una just said she has two spare tickets, they are ours if we want them! Oh my god we have to go!"

"There is no way I'm going to that."

Lilly pouted, "But why?!"

"She is so outdated" Maia argued, "she hasn't brought out any new songs that are anything to write home about and have you seen her videos behind the scenes after her shows she is such a bitch, all judgemental and snooty."

Lilly scoffed as she tapped on her phone and walked, a skill Maia mused, was necessary if you wanted to keep up the hectic social media life that Lilly had, "God you sound like you know her."

Maia smiled knowingly, "Nothing like that. I'm just good at reading people I guess."

"You are so cynical." Lilly stated.

"Oh please! You know you love me." Maia said devilishly before blowing her a kiss, "I gotta run, said I'd meet a friend for coffee."

The breeze tousled her lightly curled brunette hair as she dashed away from her friend, already late for her meeting. Her hand quivered nervously as her mind drifted to the person she was going to meet. She was still unsure if she made the right choice in agreeing to go, but she had allowed herself to be worn down. Curiosity had won over her trepidation. If she hadn't of been running so late maybe she would have paid more attention as she foolishly stepped onto the road without a second regard to the consequences. She looked up just in time to see the large SUV barreling towards her. She barely had time to register the harsh, sharp blare of a car horn. Panic flushed down her body like hot spring water as she stood there, in the middle of road as rigid as a plank. It was then she was felt the grip of a strong arm around her waist that pulled her back and cushioned her fall onto the cold pavement.

With some effort, she managed to shakily bring herself back up to her feet, her face flushing as she saw all the concerned faces looking her.

Guarding her chest with her arms she averted her gaze as she spoke to the person who saved her, "I am so sorry." she said to the man who groaned as he got to his feet as dusted off his suit, "I should have been paying attention."

She turned around and continued on her path as she rushed into the crowd of people, hoping to get lost inside of it and avoid the judgement of the crowd that had watched her almost kill herself with her own carelessness. She was startled by the hand that grasped her arm lightly in an attempt to get her attention.

"Hey sorry you ran off so quickly!" The man said, his breathing quick from the light jog he had to do in order to catch up with her, "Are you sure you are okay?"

Maia regarded him with caution, a innate reaction that she couldn't help. He was extremely handsome in his custom made suit, his fine brown hair styled and his face freshly shaven. Either he was already successful or he knew how to dress like someone who was. When she realised she was staring she could feel her cheeks burn more than before but something about him made her feel strange... she couldn't pinpoint what exact emotion. Just like in class earlier, her mind was a muddled mess once more.

"Oh- I am so sorry!" she apologised profusely, "It's just the crowd made me feel like the idiot I am and I wanted to get away. Honestly I can't thank you enough for pulling me back."

He smiled warmly as he extended his hand to her, "How about we start again."

She accepted his hand shake as a courtesy, "Maia"

"Pretty name." He reached into his inside pocket in his jacket and handed her a small business card, "I'll be seeing you Maia."

She glanced down at the card, smiling at his confidence, "and what makes you so sure... David?"

He shrugged as he took a step away from her, "There is something about you. You're a risk taker."

She grinned back at him, "You have no idea."

She walked away without a second glanced, turning the small rectangular card in her hand. Everything about him warned her not to trust him. She should do the smart thing and throw out the card. But he was right, Maia thrived from thrill and the euphoria that came with it. She threw caution to the wind and pocketed the card, wondering when inspiration would strike and she would use her trump card. Still smiling from cheek to cheek she placed her phone by her ear and waited for the agitated voice to answer.

"Yo it's me." her voice bored, "Yeah I know I'm late I was almost in a car accident."

"I know."

"Jesus, Jade seriously?" Maia rolled her eyes and spun around on her heel as she came face to face with the raven haired beauty for the first time in years, "What are you doing now, following me?"

Jade slowly exhaled her cigarette as she slowly dragged her eyes up and down Maia, as if she was sizing up her prey, "Still as mouthy as ever Maia. You better watch yourself, some day your mouth is going to get you into trouble."

Maia bit her tongue in an attempt to suppress another snarky comment. It was strange, seeing her after all of these years. Maia had expected Jade to be different, she had heard through social media that she had become a mother. She thought that maybe this would have made her soften, but she was a brazen as the day Maia had said goodbye to her.

"What do you want with me Jade?" Maia questioned, "Why have you been so keen to meet up with me?"

"Let's not do this out here." Jade ordered as she stamped out the remains of her cigarette, "My office is nearby."

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Jade's office wasn't exactly how Maia would have imagined it. It was very light and clinical. Bland and white she had always imagined Jade as the type to have a dark office, with a padlock on the door to deter unwanted people from bothering her. Perched delicately on the side of Jade's sofa, Maia sipped on her coffee slowly as she watched the older women bark orders at her petite and frankly terrified assistant. Maia's stomach did an uneasy squirm as she watched the woman berated the quivering blonde receptionist who was frantically scribbling notes which as far as Maia could see made no sense at all. A part of Maia hated Jade, because she had once admired her strength. When they had first met Jade was one of the first people to give Maia the harsh truth about her mother and for the most part she had tried to help as best as she could. But when it came down to it, when Maia needed Jade the most, she had betrayed her. Maia had pleaded with her to be the one adult in that situation to see sense, but she didn't. She was one of the people on her list who let her down.

The door finally clicked shut and Jade's grunt of annoyance preceded her slamming of her office door before she slumped down on the chair opposite Maia.

"I need to fire that girl. Can't even take messages properly." she moaned, "it's not that hard is it."

"Jade." Maia said sternly as she set her half empty cup down, her pink lipstick printed on the side of ceramic, "What do you want?"

She smiled, "Oh I wanted to give you a belated birthday present."

"I don't want a present from you."

Jade made a dismissive noise as she rose to grab the package from her desk, "Nonsense! I knew it wasn't a good idea to contact you when you where still a minor but you are 19. So old now, with so much freedom."

Jade dangled the gift in front of the teen mockingly, "Come on I know you're curious. How could you not be?"

With a scornful stare, Maia snatched the gift from her and tore it open. Maia glared at the book she now held, the best selling novel that was sweeping the nation. That Maia had refused to even consider because it was written by Jade herself. Her stomach churned as she calmly set the book down on the coffee table and gave it a gentle push towards Jade.

"I especially don't want that."

Jade cocked her eyebrow," Why lil red, you scared?"

Maia scoffed, "Of what? A book made up of complete fiction."

"How do you know that if you haven't read it?"

"I know enough about it." Maia stated, "I lived it Jade and it didn't have a happy ending. But all I hear about when people bring it up is how those two where meant to be. Absolute bullshit. That's what your story is."

Jade pushed it back to her, "Take it anyway. Its a signed first edition. Help with those student loans if you ever wanna sell it."

"If I take it will you leave me alone?" Maia bargained, "This was a mistake I don't want you to try and find me again."

Jade let out a dark laugh, "Oh my goodness have we not all heard that one before."

Maia dug her nails into the palm of her hands, hoping the pain would stop tears springing into her eyes,"Why are you such a bitch Jade?"

"Same reason you are Maia." Jade said smugly, "Because we are too guarded. I wrote this in the hope she would read it."

Maia bit her lip, unable to stop her eyes this time from overflowing with tears, "I don't want to talk about her."

"I lost someone in all this too Maia." Jade retorted, her voice trembled slightly, "I lost my best friend and I won't stop. I can't. Not until I know she is safe."

"Did you just bring me here to hurt me all over again." Maia demanded as she grabbed the book and headed for the door, "I am so sick of thinking about my past. I got closure the day Robbie left me back home. I don't have a birth mother. She let us go Jade. You need to do the same."

She slammed the door, satisfied with how it caused the whole wall of tinted glass to rumble along with it. As far as Maia was concerned Jade West was officially dead to her. She could feel her heart battering against the book that she was holding so close to her chest. She jammed her fingers on the elevator frantically, hoping this would speed the process.

"Are you ok?" the receptionist called over to her, "You seem flushed. I could get you some water?"

"No, no" Maia insisted faking a smile, "I'll just take the stairs I'm in a hurry."

She took the stairs quickly, her breaths quick and frantic, the room suddenly void of all air. She had lied to Jade. She knew this book, knew it all too well because she had read it as soon as it came out. Maia always had a problem indulging in curiosity, even when she knew all it was going to do was hurt her. Every chapter she read was like a reopening an old wound. But she couldn't stop herself from carrying on. It was as if she was reading a mixture of personal diaries of the people she knew... or thought she did. How she had listened to just about everyone rave about how the characters in the book where so full of pain, how sad they must have been. Maia would just shake her head, smile sadly and change the subject. How could you ever tell anyone that this book was an expert of your life. That you personally knew the author of the book and she had based it off the life and times of her birth mother and that the baby mentioned in the book was you, that the sidekick of the whole story is you?

The answer was simple: you couldn't without people thinking you are an insane, attention seeker that only deserved pity.

The fresh air slapped her in the face as she leaned against the wall and tried to gain composure. She hated looking weak but her breathing wouldn't regulate, if anything nothing was going in, only out. She allowed herself to slide against the wall to the ground her head resting against her knees as she screwed her eyes shut. For the second time today, she was making a scene and drawing attention to herself. Two things she despised. She waited, praying silently that no one would ask her what was wrong.

She could sense a presence lurking over her and listened intently as the a deep voice chastised someone close to them, "No we can't just walk past and not say anything!"

Her eyes stinging with tears Maia slowly looked up. Her stomach twisted, her heart felt like lead, her toes tingled with numbness as she stared back at that face she recognised so well.

Because it looked almost exactly like her own.


	2. Chapter 2

Identical eyes gazed at each other in astonishment, unsure of what to say even though they had rehearsed this moment countless times in their mind. How they would finally get to purge themselves of their demons. Robbie glanced uneasily between the two women, frightened to say anything as he was terrified of the consequences. But he would be a fool if he tried to lie and deny that this wasn't who Cat thought she was. The resemblance was too strong. Even though it had been years Robbie felt a chill crawl down his spine, he couldn't bring himself to look away from the teenager now.

"You're so beautiful."

It was a whisper, so quiet and quick that Robbie and Maia barely saw her lips move. But she had said it, Cat Valentine had broken the silence with a single sentence. The trio where receiving the oddest glances from those passing by but surprisingly, it seemed as if for once, Caterina Valentine did not care. She was in broad daylight, the sun illuminating her tanned skin, the hood of her jacket flaying uselessly around her back and her sunglasses perched atop of her grease ridden hair. She was completely exposed to all those around her. Cat looked petrified, her hand trembled as she reached out as if to touch her daughter for the first time in years.

But it was as if Maia was radiating a heat so strong it repelled Cat and she was unable to make contact, for fear of being hurt. She quickly brought her hand back to her chest and shot behind Robbie. He felt a small tug of his shirt as she grabbed and knotted the material around her her hand.

"Maia I can't believe…" Robbie finally stammered, "How are you- Why are you in L.A?"

"I'm sorry Sir" Maia brought herself to her feet, drying her eyes quickly as she did so, "Have we met before? I think you have mistaken me for someone else."

She tried to brush past him but instinct took over, he grabbed her arm, "Maia." He said sternly, "Don't take me for a fool. As if I could ever forget you."

"Let me go." Maia said weakly, her voice quivering, "I can't do this."

"Isn't this all you ever wanted?" Robbie asked, his hand instinctively reaching back to make contact with Cat, to ensure she wasn't going to run away once more, "Come back inside, let me explain."

"Explain." She whispered, the disdain, "I don't want an explanation."

A fury bubbled within her like an inferno. Suddenly Maia was aware of every hair that stood on her arms. Her pulse seemed to race, her breathing heavy as hot tears in her eyes as she let out a devilish scream, completely lost all sense of decorum, darted around Robbie and pounced on Cat. They pair toppled to the ground with a small thud.

"Please!" Cat begged, her hands trying to block her face as she made no attempt to fight back.

"Nineteen years I waited for this!" Maia screeched, "I hate you, I hate everything about you! Fight me back, you coward. Hit me! I know you want to, I know you hate me for what I did to you!"

For a moment all Robbie did was watch in horror as the younger girl scratched and clawed at her own mother like a wild animal. Then he snapped back into reality, realised the scene they were making, her heart in his mouth as he watched Cat wail a hail of apologies that accompanied every blow Maia gave her.

"Maia get the hell off her!" Robbie bellowed as he hauled her from Cat, she thrashed about in his arms.

"Let me go you scumbag." Maia wailed, "You're just as bad! Making me think you cared about me. Neither of you do."

"That's not true!"

The all turned to see Jade West standing at the front of her building, her eyes dancing with anger as she glared at the trio and jabbed a finger at the door, "All three of you get the fuck back into this building. Now!"

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Between them, Robbie and Jade both shared one of the forlorn girls, escorting them back up to her office to the surprise of Jade's secretary who rose as soon as they stepped out of the elevator, stammered and rushed to get them some coffee. Once inside the office, Jade locked the door, dragged a reluctant Maia over to the sofa and discarded her there.

"Stay." She ordered as if she was an annoying, disobedient pet, "Just sit there and don't speak unless you are spoken to."

"You can't keep me here" Maia shouted, "I'm not your—"

"Why the hell do I hear words spilling out of your big mouth?" Jade demanded.

Maia pressed her thumb and forefinger together and dragged them across her closed lips, sarcastically flicking her thumb as if throwing away the key. Jade gave her a dark smile as she turned her back on the younger girl and came face to face with someone she had spent countless times praying to see once again. Jade drank her in, the woman who was clinging on to Robbie's hand and chewing her lip as if she was a child.

Cat surged forward and into Jade's arms as the raven haired woman shook from shock and finally wept, "I can't believe it. I knew you weren't dead. I knew you were so much stronger than everyone else made you out to be."

Cat stayed mute, her face emotionless as she held her best friend in her arms. As soon as Jade released her from her grip she was once more at Robbie's side, using him as a safety blanket. Robbie held her in his arms, uncertain of this scenario. He had wanted to bring Cat to Jade for a while now as he knew it's what Jade would have wanted; to be involved. But if he had of known that Maia would have been here, that Jade would have been so foolish to keep in contact with her. He wouldn't have brought Cat here. It was an overload to her already frayed and fragile emotions. He was terrified that she would run again, scared that all the progress they had made was now tarnished by the foolish actions of a heartbroken teenager.

"Sit down." Jade said, her voice much softer to Cat than it had been to Maia, as she ushered her into the arm chair far away from her daughter, "I'll get you a drink."

"No." Cat stated, "I don't want anything to drink. I just—I want.."

Robbie and Jade where at either side of the armchair, hanging on her every word. It was the Maia choose the scoff loudly, the temptation to speak her mind was too much for the teenager to bear.

"That's right." Maia said sardonically, "Everyone feel sorry for the victim."

"Maia." Robbie warned, "Enough. Stop trying to speak about things you don't understand. Don't be stupid when we all know you are smarter than all of us combined."

Maybe she was insane, perhaps she loved the pain or quite possibly, she may have been the bravest person in the room. Cat Valentine rose from the arm chair and sat by her daughter. Jade and Robbie watched, completely aghast as Cat willing put herself on trial to her child once more.

"You have my eyes." Cat said wistfully, "I always wondered if you would have my eyes, they were blue the last time I-" her voice cracked, "-you're just so beautiful."

"Calling me beautiful doesn't automatically fix everything." Maia said, her eyes fixed on the coffee table in front of her, "It doesn't change that you didn't want me… and I gave you a chance once more to make it right and you didn't."

The buzz of Jade's intercom broke the silence that followed, Jade angrily opened the door, grabbed the tray of beverages from her assistant and slammed the door shut with her foot. Maia immediately made a beeline for the tray and grabbed the first liquor she laid her eyes one, downing the tart spirit in two large gulps.

"You shouldn't be drinking." Robbie said disapprovingly as he grabbed a coffee from the tray.

Using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth Maia narrowed eyes tuned in on him for the first time, "You can't tell me what to do Robbie. Remember what you told me? You are nothing to me."

"It doesn't mean I don't care!" Robbie barked, "I pushed you away for your own safety."

"God you people." Maia laughed, but it empty, void of any warmth, "You're all the same! So broken and damaged. You don't know how to deal with your emotions so you push everyone away. Then you all feel sorry for yourselves thinking you are martyrs, how you protect those you love. Well I've got news for the both of you, you don't. It hurts. It really fucking hurts."

"Maia I'm sorry."

They turned to look at Cat, who was wringing her hands and rocking slightly on the sofa.

"You were so small, no more than 6 pounds the last time I saw you. I remember it all, its hard to believe it was so long ago. On that final push when I suddenly felt no more pain. You didn't cry and the paramedics gave each other these uneasy glances and I knew something was wrong. I screamed so loud because I thought you were dead. I was convinced I hadn't tried hard enough to keep you safe. But then you let out this unholy screech and I laughed with relief. But then you wouldn't stop, you just kept crying and that's when it all became clear to me. That all your life would be if you stayed with me would be one of misery and hopelessness and I… I just couldn't do it to you. You couldn't stay with me. I had no money, no family and no home. You deserve so much more."

"Stop." Maia pleaded, "I can't…"

Cat smiled despite the tears that where slowly tumbling down her face, "I didn't want you to see me like this all those years ago. When I wrote you that letter I hoped when you read it you would imagine this glamourous, stunning woman instead of this."

"This doesn't change anything."

"I know." Cat said softly, "But I don't regret giving you away. I wasn't going to be the kind of mother you needed. But that doesn't mean that I don't care. That I don't love you."

"Why didn't you say all this to me three years ago?" Maia wondered, her voice calm. "Why didn't you want to see me?!"

"Because I hate myself!" Cat cried, "I don't want you to get to know me! I'll only break your heart. I can't be the person you want me to Maia. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Robbie was by her side before she could even blink holding on to her as she wept. Sitting on the sofa he pulled her into his arms as she shook from the force of her tears. He brushed her back as he gently shushed her. He saw Maia glance at the door handle.

"Go if you want to." Robbie told her, "I'm not going to stop you."

Maia mumbled a blunt apology before exiting the room. Jade sighed heavily, her steps causing the ice in her gin and tonic to clink as she plonked herself into her chair and took a long drink.

"Well" Jade said finally, "Maia may not want all the answers but I sure as hell do."

So Robbie filled Jade in on everything he knew as he continued to rock Cat in his arms as if she were Cecelia and he was trying to lull her to sleep. By the time Robbie was finished Jade was paler than usual and looked as if the drink she had consumed was not sitting well in her stomach.

"She was raped." She whispered, "So is Maia?"

Robbie nodded sadly.

"I want him." Jade said through gritted teeth, "I want to find him, I want to string him up and I want to him to watch as I take a pair of scissors to his—"

"Jade" Robbie scorned.

"Oh Cat." Jade leaned over and touched her forearm, "Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you come to me, I would have done anything to help you."

"Couldn't." she mumbled as she chewed her nail, "Didn't want you to get hurt."

"But I did get hurt." Jade said sadly, "When I lost my best friend all those years ago."

"She won't let us go to police." Robbie told her, "Won't let me get her professional help because she is terrified of being tracked down. Sophia and Cece are gone. Maia has seen her. Everything we do just seems to cause a new problem. Jade I need your help, I'm not sure what to do."

"She can stay with me." Jade told Robbie, "I'll take her now."

"No" Robbie said more harshly than he meant to, "I don't want to leave her."

"She'll be safe with me." Jade told him sincerely, "You wanted my help Robbie. Honestly you look like as bad as she does. You need to rest, you need to talk to your wife. Let me do what I can to help."

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"She doesn't sleep the night through. She will wake up maybe twice, three times if the night terrors are particularly bad. I turn the television on, always something innocent, recorded cartoons mostly. When she showers or goes to the bathroom don't let her lock the door."

"Robbie." Jade told him softly, "she isn't a child."

Earlier Jade had called her stylist and there where over in a flash, hands all over Cat's once vibrant red hair, a few hours later it was chopped and changed. Now it only brushed her tops of her shoulders and was her natural colour, deep chestnut with splashes of caramel. She didn't look like herself, which was exactly the look that Jade was going for. Cat was gracious but Robbie could tell she didn't like it, that she missed her burgundy hair. Despite this he told her she looked great and he was rewarded with a small smile that gave him a bit of hope that he made the right decision in bringing her to Jade. They had finally got Cat to fall asleep in Jade's spare room, Robbie didn't leave her side until he was certain she was asleep. Jade had to practically prise him from his room but he insisted on keeping the door ajar so he could hear if he needed her from Jade's kitchen. He hugged his mug of tea and sighed heavily.

"You're going to have to go see her."

He rubbed his hand against his forehead and sighed, "I know."

"Do you think it helped?" Jade asked him, "For Maia to hear those things."

"I don't know." Robbie admitted, "You remember how she was when we brought her home. You saw her attack Cat in the street, it was just so… sad."

"God if we fucked her up more." Jade said as she held her head in her hands, "I shouldn't have contacted her. I just, I thought if I couldn't have Cat I could have the next best thing. It was so inappropriate I know. Everything I did was. I shouldn't have wrote that book. But I wanted an ending with closure."

"We can still get that" Robbie told her, "We just have to get Cat to tell us who the hell he was."

"She won't. She's kept it a secret for this long, why would she bother to tell us now?"

"She deserves more than this Jade. This half-life she is living now. All those big dreams that she had when we were 15, we both know she would have made it to Broadway. She would have been bigger than we can imagine. She could have had it all; marriage, kids a happy life."

"With you." Jade concluded.

He winced, he didn't mean it to sound like that, the ring on his left finger seemed heavier all of a sudden, "He deserves to pay."

"I agree." Jade took a quick sip of her wine, "But if he's as dangerous as Cat makes him out to be—I don't think it's healthy to get her mixed up in this."

"Fine Jade." Robbie told her shortly, "If you don't want to help me I can do this on my own."

"It's been a long day. Call your wife, spend tomorrow with your daughter. I know-", she held her hand up to stop him when she saw he was about to protest, "Robbie, I know more than anyone else how much you want to help Cat Valentine. All you have ever wanted to do was help Cat Valentine. But please, go home. Get some rest, figure things out before you rush into something you haven't thought through."

"I'm not going home."

"Yes you are."

"There is nothing there for me." Robbie said, "It doesn't feel like home."

Jade raised an eyebrow, "Because your wife isn't there. Or because Cat isn't there."

He avoided the question, instead he opted for a sip of his now cold tea to buy him some time to think.

Jade mirrored his action, taking a large swing of her wine in order to keep up her poker face. She already knew the answer, even if he didn't. Jade had always known. Even on the day Robbie had married Sophia, Jade knew he was happy and in that moment, so was she. Nothing would have pleased her more than to see one of her oldest friends finally get his happy ending. But as he stood at the top of that aisle, Jade counted the amount of times he eyes seemed drawn to the door at the end of the aisle. Her first thought was that he wanted to run, fear of commitment or cold feet something that she knew Robbie could overcome.

No, the moment of clarity dawned on Jade when they asked if anyone objected the to their union. She listened to the soft chuckles of those around her as if to say, "who could ever object to this perfect couple?". She watched as Sophia glanced at the crowd whilst Robbie, looked not at the people in sitting in front of him, but at the back door. That was when Jade West was certain what was wrong. Robbie didn't have cold feet... He was still waiting.

Even then as he stood beside a beautiful woman who so clearly adored him. He was still waiting for Cat Valentine to walk through the door.


	3. Chapter 3

She had hoped when she got to her dorm room that she would be alone, that Lilly was hopefully still at the library studying. But, much to her disappointment her petite friend was sitting cross legged on her bed, scrolling lazily through her phone. Maia only had time to utter a curt hello before she started to gag. Then she found herself kneeling over her trash can, retching up the entire contents of her gut. In a flash, Lilly bounced to her side, rubbing her back as Maia spat and choked up bile. The door for their room lay open and it had drawn a crowd of curious chin-wagging students. As soon as one of the girls had pointed at Maia and mouthed the word "pregnant?" Lilly angrily booted the door shut.

The putrid, acidic stench rising from the trash can filled her nostril as she pushed it away and rubbed her hand against her burning throat. Lilly passed her a bottle of water that she had grabbed from her desk and held it out to Maia who accepted it will a small frown.

"Are you okay?" Lilly questioned, her voice laced with concern, "You're white as a sheet."

Maia rose and grabbed her matted bear that she had for as long as she could remember and sat upright on her bed, her back pressed against the cold wall.

Lilly got up and sat by her, "Do you think you could be pregnant?"

"God no." Maia replied, offended that her closest friend thought that she would be so careless, "Nothing like that."

"But you seemed fine earlier."

"I ate from a dodgy food truck for lunch there." Maia lied, "Last time I trust one of them."

That complete fabrication had spilled out her mouth before Maia even registered what exactly she was saying. But something held her back, she couldn't bring herself to tell Lilly that she had just met her birth mother for the first time. How she had attacked Cat Valentine. That she had so much anger bottled up that she had beaten that frail, pathetic looking woman. If she allowed those words to tumble out of her mouth, then it would all feel so… real. She hoped that maybe if she denied it enough, she could convince herself that it was the truth.

"Well hey!" Lilly said, her voice cheery and breezing, "I know what might cheer you up!"

"What?"

"We have free tickets to a concert." she cheered as she threw her hands up in the air joyously.

Maia rolled her eyes, "Yeah one that I don't want to go to."

"Ah." Lilly said coyly, "Did I mention it's in a venue that doesn't card?"

Maia grinned, "Lilly, have I ever told you that you are one of the smartest people on this planet?"

"You don't need to tell me what I already know" Lilly flicked her hair back dramatically and hurried over to her drawer, "Now help me pick out something to wear so we don't have to buy ourselves drinks the whole night."

Maia's grin widened as she went to assist her friend, so thankful that she had chosen to change the subject because if there was one thing she didn't want to think about right now.

Was Cat Valentine.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The music blared as she moved her hips in beat to whatever god awful song Tori Vega was currently crooning on stage in front of her. Everyone around her was wild, pumping to their fists to the tune, beer sloshing all around everyone near them. She screamed when the song ended, a little longer and a lot louder than everyone else. She didn't care, it felt good to be in a place where she could scream until her lungs ached and not seem absolutely deranged. Maia cheered when she spotted Lilly and Una who was carrying a tray of more drinks. Lilly nudged her head in the direct of the empty booth and Maia quickly bounced over to meet her there.

They clinked together their plastic shot glasses and knocked back the colourful liquor that made them pull facetious expressions. Maia felt giddy, blissful even which meant that it was alcohol was doing exactly what she wanted it to.

"It's so hot in here!" Lilly shouted over the music as she tried to use her hand to fan her face, "I might get some air. Wanna come?"

Maia shook her head as she nursed her whiskey sour while Una was too preoccupied with sticking out her tongue and sending selfies to the many males in her life. Lilly shrugged as she jumped up and headed in the direction of the smoking area. The seat was only vacant for moments before Maia's guest of honour decided to make himself apparent.

She smirked, "Oh so you took me up on my offer."

He grinned at her, "Oh it was much too temptation to pass up."

Una raised her eyebrows and giggled, "Alrighty, see you later Maia. Text me if you need me!"

Maia gave her a silent thank you as she turned to David and gave him her full attention. She called him before they left for the bar. She knew it was sort of careless but she didn't care, she needed a distraction.

"So Maia." He asked her, "Now that I am here what do you want to do?"

"I want to leave." She told him boldly, "I want you to take me somewhere."

He looked at her curiously, "Where?"

Maia grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet as she rose, "Anywhere."

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

He rapped the door lightly with the back of his hand and waited. Robbie had done as Jade requested, he had cleaned himself up, gotten some sleep and called his wife. She had agreed to meet with him and he was relieved to finally be given the chance to make amends. He missed her, his missed his daughter. All of the normalcy that came before Cat Valentine came crashing back into his life.

Sophia opened the door with reservation, the faintest smile danced across her lips. He waited for her to make the first move as he didn't know whether it was appropriate for him to embrace his own wife. She made no contact with him, instead standing aside to let him inside.

"It's good to see you."

Sophia nodded, her hair wrapped in a loose bun atop her head moving back and forth as she did so. Robbie had always loved when she dressed in her jogging pants and sweaters, her face makeup free, glasses perched on her delicate little nose and hair a tangled knot at the centre of her head. However this time it felt different, as if she wasn't doing this to be comfortable. But because she could care less about her appearance and it made Robbie sad to think he caused this.

"Cecelia's asleep right now." Sophia said as she lead him into the living area and gestured for him to sit, "Mom and Dad left so we could talk."

"Okay." Robbie said unsurely, "If that's what you want."

"Is Cat in our house?" Sophia asked him.

"No." He swallowed, "She's with Jade."

"That's a start I suppose." She picked up a book and gently set it in front of him, "please tell me I'm crazy."

Perplexedly, he picked up the book, "Why would I tell you that?"

She laughed despite herself, "Tell me I am literally out of my mind for thinking that this Autumn girl in this book is Cat Valentine."

"Sophia—"

"And that you aren't this man, that Pete isn't based from you… and this child isn't real."

"Please just let me—"

"That there is a girl running around, a girl with your blood the same as your daughter and you never thought this would be something that I should know. How could you keep this from me Robbie?! Why did I have to find out from a book that the whole country is reading?"

"Sophia!" Robbie held his hands up defensively, "She isn't mine!"

She blinked, "She isn't?"

"Maybe I should have told you." Robbie admitted, "But I didn't know Jade was going to write a book about it! Please, you have to belive me. Only parts of that story are true."

"Is Nina Real?"

He sighed heavily, "She's called Maia." He told her, "I met her when she was almost 16. We did most of the things in that story, we went to various people to find out where Cat had went. I tracked her down in Las Vegas working as a stripper. She told me Maia wasn't mine."

"Oh." Sophia said foolishly, at a loss for words, "But in the book—"

"Like I said. Jade wrote what she wanted to happen."

"Is that what you wanted?" Sophia asked, even though she wasn't sure she wanted the answer, "Did you want this ending where Autumn and Pete go home together with their daughter."

"That's a very loaded question."

"Answer it Robbie."

"Everything is so different since then." Robbie told her, "At the time when we were in Vegas, I did want Cat to come home. But if that happened I wouldn't have met you and we wouldn't have our daughter. I don't want you to hate me Sophia."

"I don't. I am just… so confused how one girl could uproot our lives so much." She sniffed loudly and Robbie finally noticed that she had been silently crying that whole time, "Robbie why is so important, why can you not just let her go?"

"Everyone else in her life gave up on her." Robbie said, "Can you imagine what it was like for me Sophia. My girlfriend went missing with no explanation. On moment there, the next it was as if she had vanished. Her family basically disowned her, moved to Italy, left no forwarding address. He grandmother died not knowing if was alive or dead and I—I just assumed she didn't love me enough to stay."

"Robbie-"

"If it was Cece who was lost would you give up?"

"No." She told him sternly, "How could you even?"

"Exactly" Robbie said, "She left because she was raped Sophia. Raped by some sick fucking man who thought he could just do whatever he wanted. He made threats on my life, on Cat's own life. That's why she ran."

Sophia eyes popped as she held her hand in front of her mouth, "Oh my god."

"I know."

"Did they ever… is she?" Sophia rose, "You let her stay with us while some maniac is after her?! What about Cece? What about her safety?"

"So I should have just told her to leave?" Robbie bit back, "Sophia have some compassion!"

"Do you love me Robbie?"

"Of course I do!"

"No." Sophia said, "I mean do you really love me, all that romantic bullshit we always used to make fun of. Fire burning, stomach flutters, would take a bullet for me love me?"

"I-." Robbie scoffed, "This is ridiculous I love you why are being this hostile?"

Biting her lip, she shook her head, "God… think about how I feel Robbie!"

Snatching Jade's book up she frantically scratched through the pages, Robbie caught flashes of highlighter and scribbles on the margins where she had been making notes. She made a triumphant noise as she found the passage she was searching for. Her finger tracing the lines as she spoke.

"Pete could barely control his emotions around her. Just one glance from Autumn was all it took too ignite a fire so deep within his soul that even the tips of his fingers scorched as she took his hand in hers and smiled. The small dimple in her cheek that he loved so much appeared as she laughed and pulled him into her arms. He knew, even then as a teenager that she was it. She was everything. She was the only one."

Her eyes where wild when she finished, she slammed the book down on the table and held her arms up as if she was testing him, willing him to challenge her.

"Well!" she demanded, "Come on Robbie, tell me. Do I make you feel like that?"

"You're acting insane!"

"Because you won't tell me the truth!" she screamed, "Stop lying to me!"

"I'm not!"

"You don't love me!"

"I do!" he grabbed her arms, "How many times do I have to tell you!"

"Tell me!" Sophia wept, "Tell me that I am everything. Tell me that it's just a book."

He hesitated. It was minor, a slight hitch of his breath but it was too late. As far as Sophia was concerned she had heard her answer. She twisted her wedding ring around her finger as she slowly back away from him.

"Robbie I think you should go". She order him. "You can go kiss Cecelia goodbye, I'll text you when you can come and see her. We will work out a schedule."

"Don't do this." Robbie pleaded, "We work. We are so good together."

"Are we?" she questioned, "I feel like I don't know you. You've this whole other life I know nothing about. A life with another woman and a different family."

"That's not fair. You know that isn't how it is."

"But that's how it feels." Sophia said, a heartbroken smile on her face, "Robbie you love her."

"But not like I love you!" Robbie said, so exasperated with this conversation.

"Exactly." Sophia said, "You love her more, you've always loved her more. I was just so blinded by my affection for you that I ignored it."

"What can I do to prove it to you?" he begged, "I am serious about this, I want to make us work."

She pulled her PearPhone from the pocket of her sweat and held it out to Robbie.

"Take a stand." She ordered him, "Call the police and tell them you found Cat Valentine. The girl who has been missing for years. Go on, you'll be a hero, everyone will love you for it."

"Sophia. I can't." He said, "I made a promise."

"Do it Robbie!" She screeched, "If you want me as badly as you claim. Call them!"

"No!" he bellowed.

"Call them Robbie. Call them or I will."


	4. Chapter 4

Her rigid fingers hovered over the keys uncertainly as she wondered if she would even be able to play the instrument anymore, it had been that long. She sighed with frustration as she once again pressed down on the wrong key, her nose twitching in annoyance. Cat had once been so gifted, her mother had. She was rusty, she could practically hear her fingers creak as she stretched the out after yet another failed attempt.

But she was determined, time slowly bled away as she sat at the piano until finally, as the moon was beginning to replace the sun, she had mastered the simple tune. Cat gently sang along to the soft melody, a sense of pride spilling over her for the first time in what felt like forever. It was nice to have something to concentrate on that wasn't her thoughts. So many memories scrambled about her mind that gave her a headache. Being so close to her childhood home brought back painful flashbacks that even as hard as she tried, she knew she could never possibly forget. How only a couple of blocks away was where she had been when all hell had broken loose.

Twenty years since she had last walked that street. Her makeup smeared around her face, the top of her blouse ripped as she wandered without purpose around the streets of Hollywood. She held down her skirt, as the breeze was threatening to blow it up and reveal to everyone that she was wearing nothing underneath. Cat knew that she should have picked them up before she had rushed from his apartment, but in that moment, all she wanted to do was escape.

She felt filthy, shivers scaling from the top of her head to the tips of her toes with each step she took. Her stomach groaned, her shoulders and arms ached from where his strong grip had clamped her down on the floor. Eventually, her aimless journey had lead her to the bathroom of a ladies department store. She took a wet paper towel and dragged it across her face, attempting to make her face look more presentable. She let her hair out of her bun and let it cascade around her shoulders to hide the horrible purple bruises that made a path from the nape of her neck to her collarbone. She hadn't cried, she had stared in the mirror and tried to force the tears to come but there was nothing.

Cat couldn't say she was surprised, after all, she didn't even have control of her own body. So why would have any control of her emotions?

She recounted how her phone rattled against the sink as she received an incoming call from Robbie. She stared it. How the vibrations caused it to fall into the bowl. Without taking her eyes away from the phone she turned on the tap and allowed the water to rain all over her hot pink phone. It crackled and bleeped until the screen became a confusion of colours, then finally black.

That was the same night she went back home for the last time. As soon as she stepped through that threshold, she had acted perfectly normal. She fabricated up a story that she had caught her favourite shirt on something and foolishly ripped it. Cat portrayed her act perfectly as she pecked her mother and father and her Nonna on the cheek as always, hugged her brother goodnight and went up to her room. She lay atop her bed, still in the same clothes she had left his house in, waiting patiently for the soft footsteps of her parents going up to their room for the night.

Silently she packed a small bag and left the room, only looking back to glance at her photo frames adorned with her friends. She couldn't bring it with her, she couldn't look at all those amused faces when she knew she had hurt them so much. Especially the boy who had his arms wrapped protectively around hers. The corner of her mouth twitched as she eyes linger on Robbie silly expression, her heart pounding as she thought about him. She wanted to go to him, to tell him everything that happened to her.

But that would be the last time she saw Robbie because there is no way he would allow him to live if went within five feet of her boyfriend. That's why she had to leave tonight. He thought they were back together, so consumed with the idea that she love him that he would believe anything. So maybe now he wouldn't have his goons following her, it was her only chance to run and save everyone from this monster she had helped create.

"That's very pretty."

Startled, Cat hands slammed down on the keys as she stopped abruptly and spun in the chair to face her old friend.

"Sorry." Jade apologised quickly as she took a seat beside her, "Shit I'm so insensitive of course your jumpy. It's just been so long I forgot how great of a singer you are. Almost better than me."

Cat rolled her eyes, "Almost."

Jade smirked, "Can't have you getting too big for your boots now can we?"

Cat smiled, "I don't think that will ever happen."

"Cat." Jade said, her voice hopeful, "Do you want to talk about it."

"About what." She faintly replied, pretending she had no clue what she was on about.

"Well. Everything I suppose." Jade responded, "I know how hard it must have been to see Maia."

"No you don't." Cat snapped back, a little harsher than she had intended, "You have a stability and a beautiful baby with a wonderful man."

"and Maia's father?"

Cat turned away, "I don't want to talk about him."

"Remember when we were fourteen." Jade asked her, pushing her luck, "and I had that massive crush on Beck even though I always tried to deny it and you would talk about this boy from your neighbourhood who you were besotted with. I remember Cat. All the presents, the cars that would pick you up from your house. Then all of a sudden it was over, you were with Robbie."

"So what?" Cat demanded, "I'm a slut Jade, I get around."

"That's not what I'm saying." Jade berated her like a child, "Stop twisting my words. As a matter of fact Cat I never want you to hear you call yourself that again. It's not your fault that you where manipulated and taken advantage of by someone who was old enough to know better."

"Jade." Cat warned, "Stop."

Jade bit her tongue as she forced down every angry word that she wanted to say about this nameless man who destroyed her best friend. It had been four days since Cat had come to stay with Jade and she had barely made any progress with her. She was just so closed off, only revealing little snippets of her past always stopping before she gave too much away. Yesterday Jade had caught her crying as she watched old clips of them singing various dances held at Hollywood Arts. It was odd, watching that Cat on the screen with the wild red hair complete with the giddy, light-hearted personality. She seemed so far away from who she was now… so reserved and incomplete.

Robbie wanted answers and Jade could now see why. Cat was a shadow, she snuck around the house to avoid contact with her. Cat screamed in her sleep and burned her skin in the shower with scalding water. Jade was running out of options and she couldn't take it anymore, she wouldn't do this anymore.

"I called the police."

The chime of her doorbell went off as planned. They had Jade that one of the officers would call that evening to get a statement. Jade had anticipated it, her body poised and ready for the moment the girl bounded for the window in a desperate attempt to escape. Jade grabbed her from the windowsill, her arms linking together around her thin waist as struggled to pull Cat close.

"Cat!" Jade pleaded. "This has to stop!"

"NO!" Cat wailed, "You don't realise what you've done!"

"I am answering that door." She said as she dragged her along, "You are going with them, I'll come with you."

"I don't want to go at all!" Cat protested, "He's going to hurt them Jade!"

"He won't get the chance!" Jade bartered, "He's going to get what he deserves!"

When Jade opened the door, Cat whimpered with fear. She was so foolish, she should have told Robbie and Jade exactly why she didn't want them to call the police. She knew that she was playing a dangerous game with her friends, that it was only a matter of time before this happened. But she just couldn't bring herself to tell them. He had connections everywhere.

She was ashamed of her family, how much she had lied for them. Everyone thought the Valentines where a quintessential family in the neighbourhood.

The Valentines where liars.

Everyone had innocently assumed Caterina Valentines father was an incredibly successful lawyer. He was so charismatic, so wonderful with people, it was impossible to imagine him as anything else… but James Valentine was so much more than that. Her father was a terrible man, a con man who made dirty deals with the worst sort of people in order to remain in power. Cat didn't have the evidence, had never seen it with her own eyes... but she knew he was a killer. Her mother stayed ignorant, she remained the perfect homemaker, allowing everyone to believe that she was a simple housewife. In Cat's eyes she was just as bad.

She remembered the first time she had met him. Even at twenty-three, Edward Jacobs was already a powerful man who was feared by so many people, including her own father. So much so that when he wanted Cat Valentine… that's exactly what he got. Cat was impressionable, foolish to think that maybe he was different than her father… but she was wrong.

She was so wrong.

Nineteen years Cat had managed to stay under the radar, Maia tucked safely away with her new family upstate. Knowing that everyone was safe was what sustained her and now this was all breaking apart around her. Even though the man in front of her had faintest signs of wrinkles under his eyes and what little sunlight remained highlighted the grey hairs that had sprouted sporadically in his deep chestnut hair. Cat Valentine knew she was staring back at the man whom she had spent her life escaping.

Jade caught on only a fraction of a second too late, his foot came in contact with the door as she bellowed for Cat to run. She wasted no time, she skidded into the kitchen and grabbed the pear phone that lay abandoned on the counter. She frantically tried to dial and she continued out the French doors and into the back door. As held the phone to her ear as she crouched behind the small wall. Praying that the phone would be picked up.

"What?" the bored voice demanded, "This better—"

"You have to leave now!" she whispered frantically, "Pack a bag and run."

"What? I don't understand?"

She yelped as she was suddenly airborne the phone soaring out of her hand. She was being carried, her chin bouncing off his back as he took long strides back into the house.

"I love you!" she screeched, praying the phone wasn't too far away for the receiver to work, "RUN!"

She was being carried, her chin bouncing off his back as he took long strides back into the house. She was surprised when she was tentatively set onto the sofa. She glanced around the room and noted the men who surrounded the room, standing by the doors to ensure she had no way out. He didn't even bother to restrain her because he already knew she would make no attempt to escape. Caterina Valentine had too much to lose.

She felt his rough hand cup her face.

"I liked you better as a red head." He mused before he kissed her forehead and smiled darkly, "I've missed you."

"Get the fuck off me!" she screeched as she pushed him away, "Let me go!"

"Now why would I do that Cat? When I have just got you back."

"Where is Jade?!" Cat commanded, "Please, Eddy…. Please don't hurt her. She has a little boy."

He laughed was sinister, "Oh you mean your feisty friend. One of the boys brought her to the basement. She held her own, very skilled with a pair of scissors I must say. She'll come in useful."

"No just leave her." Cat told him, "You can have me. But just leave her alone."

He tapped his forefinger against his lip mockingly, as if he was actually considering the young woman's request. But Cat knew better, she knew that she would never be able to make a deal with him. People like him never forgot those who betrayed him and forgiveness was completely out of the question.

"Did you really think you could hide from me?" He asked her, "19 years is a long time to make a man wait Caterina for what is rightfully his. Your father owed me. I wanted to shame that bastard, you should have seen how quickly he handed you over… it was as if I was asking him to pass me the salt at the dinner table. Without a second thought."

"That's not true." Cat whimpered, "He wouldn't."

"Oh believe me Cat, there was nothing your father wouldn't do to save his own skin. Why do you think he fled with the family to Italy as soon as your senile grandmother finally croaked?" He laughed, "You were always such a spectacular liar Caterina. Telling your dad you had broken up with me and then telling me that you wanted to take a break as your father was starting to suspect our relationship and how you had to pretend to date that boy to appear normal."

"How could I ever love someone as twisted as you?" Cat spat at him, "I was barely a freshman when you groomed me. Robbie was better man at 15 than you will ever be."

She didn't even flinch when he grasped her hair pulled back her head and pointed the barrel of his gun at her neck. Even the mention of Robbie's name had made his temper flair. She glared at him her eyes stinging as she refused to blink.

"I'm not playing games Caterina." His pressed the gun further into her skin, "I don't want to have to hurt you like you hurt me. But if you don't play along that's what will happen."

"Go on." She urged him, "Do it."

He grunted as he took the gun away, "I don't remember you being this feisty when we were together. You were much more compliant as a child."

"Well I'm not a child anymore!" she said venomously, "You made sure of that."

"Tell me this Cat." Edward asked her as he paced around the small room, "Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out about it?"

"About what?"

"Where is she?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Caterina Valentine." He sighed heavily, "You honestly think that I would never access your medical records? Smart girl, you made it a very difficult job, but blood doesn't lie."

"You stay the hell away from her too."

"Oh I think you'll reconsider." He said as if the matter was already settled, "As you know I am very good at making threats."

She closed her eyes as she felt her stomach drop.

"He has a family now." He told her, "Such a cute couple don't you think? Their little baby girl is just darling as well…. though I am sure she is not half as adorable as our little one was at that age."

"You can't." she pleaded, "They are innocent."

"Well then it's simple Cat." He told her, "You give me my family."

"I don't know where she is!"

"You better find start talking then." He warned her as he clicked his fingers. Suddenly she found herself being escorted by two emotionless men towards the basement. She wouldn't let them touch her as they lead her down the rickety steps. She hurried down them when she saw the terrifyingly still body at the end of the stairs. Jade's head had a nasty gash that was protruding blood. Cat wasted no time in ripping off her jacket and placed it on pale girl's forehead, applying as much pressure as she could.

"You have two hours Cat to come to your senses." He told her from the top of the staircase, "Give me my family. Or else I take Robbie's away."


	5. Chapter 5

Her breathing was so heavy it rang around her ears, her vision blurred over as she starred into nothingness. She managed to shake herself out of it and slowly scanned the dank and dim space for any possible route they could escape in. As she placed her head against the cool stone wall, she sighed exasperatedly. Cat had lost track of how long herself and Jade had been down here. Time seemed jumbled, panic made seconds feel like an eternity. All that Caterina Valentine could be certain of was that she had managed to get herself into a situation she had spent trying to escape from. Cat knew she was accountable. She should have told them sooner, she shouldn't have allowed herself to repress the shame that her family had caused.

The words that he had said to her swirled round her mind uncontrollably. Was what Edward had said to her true? That Cat's father had known all about his daughter dalliance with the devil. Could he have so flippantly expelled her to Edward as he had suggested? Cat hadn't many fond memories of her father but a small part of her had always wished that she had been wrong. She wanted so badly for her memories to be muddled. That she had fabricated how much her father had glorified Edward whenever she was around. From the very beginning he had encouraged her and she had been too ignorant to notice.

If Caterina could have had one wish, it was to never have been a Valentine. The moment that Caterina came into this world and became one of them, was the day she was ripped of her free will. None of this would be happening right now if Cat wasn't a Valentine. She had was nothing more than collateral damage. A bargaining chip to be disposed of at the earliest convenience.

"Cat?"

Her eyes followed the sound as she watched Jade raise her hand to her forehead, her blood clinging to her fingertips. Jade West was ashen, her blue eyes hazy as she stared at the red liquid that coated her fingers. She rubbed her thumb over them as she was trying to dry them. Cat watched as Jade West finally put the missing time together like a jigsaw puzzle. She took the steps two at a time before she reached the top and started shouting profanity along with every kick she gave the solid, heavy door. All Cat could do wait. She had words of comfort for the other girl who wasn't ready to succumb to their circumstance as easily as she did.

Jade let out a roar of complete anguish before she trampled down the wooden staircase once more and began to pace them room. Cat noted the sheen of sweat that glistened on her face when she stepped under the light.

She rolled her tongue around her teeth in a pitiful attempt to wet her dry mouth before she finally croaked, "Jade. Sit down."

The girl pushed her fringe away from her eyes, the hairs sticking together from the blood that ran from the top of her forehead to the end of her neck, "No. I can't, there has to be a way out. This is my house, there has to be something I can do."

Cat's lip quirked upwards slightly at her determination, "Just sit."

Jade's bottom lip wobbled before she roughly pressed her teeth down on in an attempt to quell it. But she couldn't stop the tears that where slowly rolling down her cheeks, Cat noted how the tears had diluted the crusted blood on her cheeks and was creating ribbons of red all down to her chin and all over around her clammy cheeks. It was some time until Jade curled herself up beside her and placed her head on the petite girls lap.

"I am so sorry." Jade whispered, "I can't believe I was such a fucking idiot."

"Jade", Cat played with Jade's hair absentmindedly, she sighed heavily,"It's not your fault."

"How can you even say that? I called the police."

"I should have told you why I didn't want you to."

"I should have trusted you."

"Why should you trust me?" Cat asked her innocently, "I abandoned you for years with no explanation."

"He's a fucking monster Cat." Jade whispered.

Cat could feel Jade's body trembling with what she initially assumed was anger, but she noted the tremor in her voice and could feel the damp patch that was beginning to form on her left thigh from where Jade's head was resting. The fact that Jade West was scared made Cat shiver slightly.

"I know." Cat said sadly, "Why do you think I left."

"What is he going to do to us?" Jade wondered.

"I never told you the truth growing up." Cat admitted, "My Dad… he wasn't a successful lawyer."

Jade quirked her eyebrow, "Well then what was he."

"He was… a businessman of sorts."

"Cat."

"He was a conman." Cat said, her eyes welling up, "We em… we're criminals Jade. The Valentines are a family of tradition and one of the traditions was the family business. That's how I met Edward. My dad owed him a lot of money and he- he basically sold me to him without me realising because I just thought Eddy loved me. That's why when I left my family stopped searching for me, that's why they left for Italy because without me they didn't have any money to settle their debt with him."

"That's sick." Jade spat.

Cat smiled sarcastically, "That's the Valentines."

"So you're like… the mafia's daughter?"

"Jade we aren't the mafia." Cat told her, "I'm not anyway."

"What is he going to do with us?" Jade asked her, "What happened after I passed out?"

"He caught me in the garden before I got to tell anyone. He wants me. I don't know if it's to keep as a prize or to get rid of for embarrassing him" Cat answered, trying her best to swallow back her, "But he won't kill me off until I give him the information he needs. He wants Maia too Jade."

Jade shot up from Cat's lap, her eyes wild with trepidation as she brought her hand to her mouth. Cat knew what Jade was thinking. How easily it would be to obtain her phone now that she was trapped in here, how they could easily filter out who Maia was on the contact list and lure her into a trap pretending to be Jade.

Jade opened her mouth to speak but Cat slapped her hand quickly over her mouth as she brought the other one to her own lips, her forefinger pressed against her cracked lips. Cat wasn't sure how many people he had standing by that door listening to their every word. He could have placed a listening device in the room or anything. They had to be careful.

Jade nodded to show that she understood and Cat let her hand drop.

 _Robbie?_

Jade had mouth the word to her but Cat had clearly understood. She shook her head sadly and averted her gaze.

"I don't know what to do Jade. The truth hurts so many people, it'll make everything worse than it already is. More people are going to get hurt."

Light filtered the room as the loud creak of the door opening alerted both of the girl's attention. Simultaneously the girls both reached out their hands and grabbed each other's as they watched the figure confidently stride down the staircase.

"Times up Cat." He said gravely, "Start talking or I make a call and place a bullet between Sophia Shapiro's pretty eyes."

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Is everything okay?"

"Emm…. Yeah, sorry you were saying?"

Maia watched with vague interest as she listened to Lilly rant on about the latest boy she had stayed with last night. She was pretending to help her decipher a very confusing text he had sent her _wua?_ and all the possible things it could mean.

Then she had received the call.

When she first read the caller ID with the little devil emoji beside it she instinct had been to instantly hang up the call and let her know she didn't want to talk. But like a moth to a flame, she was drawn in by curiosity. The call had been confusing to the say the least and the voice most certainly hadn't been Jades. The woman was panicked, terrified even and Maia could hear voices she definitely didn't recognise in the background as her voice began to struggle and fade until all Maia heard was a soft buzz. The declaration of love had unnerved her. It came with a finality to it, as if she was saying goodbye.

"Maia! Hello", Lilly waved her had in front of her face, "Seriously. What is with you?"

"I think that was my mom." Maia mumbled to herself as she tapped her thumb rapidly against the screen of her phone.

"Mrs. Olson?"

"No. Not her." Maia said, "I'm eh adopted… sorry I never mentioned that."

Lilly's eye bulged, "Serious?! So that was like… your birth mother?"

Maia nodded, "Yeah Lil. Maybe can we talk about this in the car? I need you to take me somewhere."

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Wait. Stop!" Lilly said, "You knew Tori Vega this whole time and you never told me?!"

"Seriously Lilly?" Maia questioned, "That's what you took from that whole story?!"

"I'm sorry." Lilly apologised with a laugh, "It's just… so fucked up."

"I think she's got herself into trouble again." Maia admitted, "I don't even know why I care or why I am even going to check up on her."

"Maybe because you are a nice person who was raised right."

"Yeah and not by her so why am I doing this? This was a mistake I'm not going in."

"Just do it!" Lilly pressured, "I'll be outside waiting."

It was several more minutes of bickering until Maia had stubbornly got out of the door, wiggled through the little crack through the wall and stomped up the driveway. She took a quick breath as she reached the door and before she could talk herself out of it she extended her arm to knock on the door. But as she did so the door already opened."

"Maia… will you ever learn not to trip the security alarm."

She blinked rapidly as she registered the baby in his hands, "You're a dad?"

He licked his lip slightly before biting it, "Yeah, this is Cece." He said, his voice tense and awkward, "Come on in please. I was going to come to you actually but I didn't know if you'd want to see me or if I don't have your contact number and—"

Maia walked two steps behind him as she walked through his house, déjà vu washing over her the further she dived into the house. It was so familiar and yet there was so many distinct differences, the walls where adorned with so many photos of a blonde woman that Maia didn't know and a baby that made her heart flip pointlessly with envy.

"You aren't with Cat?"

Maia's words had abruptly stopped Robbie's ramble and he turned to face her, "What?"

"When I saw you together I just assumed that you where an item." She said in one breath, "and so the baby is—"

"Oh my gosh no!" Robbie blurted out, "Oh no Maia, her mother is Sophia, my wife."

"Oh." Maia's cheeks ablaze, "I just-."

"Cat wouldn't have said those things to you if she had another child." Robbie told her earnestly, "she isn't like that Maia."

Maia sighed heavily, "Is she here?"

Robbie's brows knitted together, "Cat? No she is at Jade's. She has been for the past few days… why?"

"It's just I got a call from Jade. Well at least it was from Jade's phone and I couldn't quite make out what was happening… I think it was Cat." Maia said, "I'm not sure though."

Maia watched as Robbie's face went from confused to concern in a matter of seconds. Maia rushed after him as he strode into the kitchen, set Cece down in her rocker before sinking his hands into his jean pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Robbie?" Maia said, her voice trembling, "What's going on?"

He pressed his finger to his lip as he pressed his phone to his ear and waited. He cursed quietly when the number rang out.

"Why isn't Jade picking up?"

"There—I think she was grabbed by someone. She told me to run."

"Oh my God." Robbie grabbed Maia lightly by the shoulder, "Maia this is important. When did she call?"

"Maybe an hour and a half ago?"

"Maia I have something to tell you." Robbie exhaled quickly, "I hoped to never tell you this but. Your real father is a very bad man. That's why Cat keeps pushing you away because she is scared of him and what he'll do to her if she finds him. I think he's found her, no I know that's what you heard."

Heat rippled down Maia her pulse accelerated, "What? I don't understand—what can we do?"

"You do nothing!" Robbie told her, "You do exactly as she said. You go back to your dorm, you pack a bag and you go home."

Robbie's phone made them both jump with surprise and they both glared at it.

"Don't answer it." Maia warned.

But he had already pressed accept as he placed it on the counter and put it on speaker.

 _Is this the really him? The voice asked, "Is this the famous Robbie Shapiro I have heard so much about."_

"What do you want scumbag?" Robbie demanded, his voice more confident than he felt, "I swear if you've hurt her."

 _"Now, now Robert, calm down. Why would I hurt someone I love so dearly? She is fine, can't say the same for her friend though."_

The screams of pain in the background made Maia's stomach churn. She leaned on the counter to stop her legs from giving in as she listened to that gravelly voice. The voice of her father.

"No games." Robbie warned, "What do you want?"

 _Oh but games are so much fun. For instance, what if I was to tell you that I have been following you for about a week now Robbie. That I knew Cat was with you for some time now. I'm not completely heartless you know, I thought I'd let you have a least some time with her before I ripped your whole life apart. I think its sweet you know that after all this time you still hold a torch for her, really it is. But what about your poor little wife who is now all alone… in that poor defenceless house. You know Robbie you should really think about getting some bodyguards or heightening security because right now I have men at your house and the one your wife is currently at._

Robbie looked as if he was going to faint, all the colour had drained from his face, "Please, please don't hurt her."

 _I won't. If you bring Maia to me I won't lay a finger on your wife or child—and please don't try and pretend she isn't there my men watch a girl who looks exactly like Cat walk up the driveway and into your house."_

"You sick son of a bitch!" Maia screeched, "Fucking don't touch them!"

"Maia!" Robbie chastised her, "Don't."

She looked at the baby who was quietly snoozing in her chair and she felt her heart sink. She had once been that baby. A child with a parent who faced an impossible decision. Cat had made so many terrible decisions to protect those that she loved and in the end, all she had done was hurt them even more. She couldn't let Robbie make the same decision. Maia had deserved better.

And so did Cece.

"I'll go."

"Maia you can't."

"No." Maia grabbed the phone, too it off speaker and pressed it firmly to her ear, "I will come to you but I have conditions."

 _"How endearing."_

"You leave Robbie and his family the fuck alone and you let Jade go. Me and Cat will go with you, wherever you want to go but only if they stay alive." Maia ordered, "This is between you and Cat and he just got stuck in the middle because of a decision I made when I was 16. Robbie isn't going to come after me. He knows better than to risk the life of those he loves."

 _We'll negotiate the terms when you arrive. I don't know too many people alive who know too much, it seems too risky._

"They all have something to lose." Maia said persuasively, "They aren't going to fight for us."

 _I'll see you soon then. 45 minutes or someone isn't making the cut in your terms and conditions._

Maia let out a shaky breath as she hung up the phone and threw it away from her as if it had given her an electric shock. Her whole body shook with sobs and before she could protest she was in Robbie's arms.

"Maia. You can't do this."

"Robbie." She pushed him away lightly, "There isn't an option."

"There has to be something." He assured her, "You can't just be his prisoner."

"I won't be for long." Maia assured him, "You need to think about the bigger picture."

She handed Robbie her pear phone, "The password in 1417. In about an hour unlock it, call my mom and explain everything."

"No." Robbie told her, "This is too dangerous. You were wrong. I would fight for you over and over again. Just because you aren't my family doesn't mean I don't care for you. Let me go instead. Take Cece and get out."

"Robbie I want to go." Maia told him, "I want to look that man in the eye before I destroy him."

The alarm was tripped again, the sirens wailing along with Cece as Robbie rushed to scoop her into his arms.

"There is still time." Robbie pleaded, "You could run, I could—"

Sereval bangs preceded the crash of the front door slamming into the ground.

"Robbie trust me." She wailed as the men grabbed her and began to drag her away, "He is going to regret ever wanting to meet me."


	6. Chapter 6

She inhaled and exhaled deeply as she watched the scene that was unfolding around her. It was truly shocking, how quickly that simple flame had erupted into an inferno that engulfed Jade West's home. The flames swayed in the gentle breeze as if to taunt her as ash fluttered to her feet, creating patches on the ground like snow. Maia could do nothing but watch in fear as she waited for a sign that she hadn't lost her mother in that fire.

A fire that she had started.

She hadn't intended everything to escalate. But as she walked into that house with an escort of heavily armed goons, a tickle of pure dread snaked its way around her body as she came face to face with the man who had destroyed so many lives.

He was handsome enough in a conventional way. Maia could understand all those years ago why Cat could have been seduced by those imploring dark eyes, strong jawline that was all wrapped up in an expensive suit. She shrank into herself, feeling like a small child who was about to be chastised by their parents for doing something she knew they shouldn't be doing. All she could hope for was that Robbie had been wise enough to heed her advice and call for help. It was only a matter of time before this man would move them, and then Cat and Maia would be lost again, potentially forever.

"Maia." He greeted casually, his arms extended as if she was an old friend, "It is such a pleasure to finally have you with me."

The lump in her throat was the size of a golf ball, she forced herself to swallow it down as she glared at her father, "Where is she?"

He smiled coldly, clasping his hands together, "Your mother Cat was very poorly behaved earlier. So naturally I had to give her a time out."

"That doesn't answer my question." Maia said through gritted teeth as she tried to remain calm, "Where are Cat and Jade?"

He rolled his eyes, "So determined. You get that from me you know."

It took all of her strength to not gag at his words. Never would Maia ever allow herself to see similarities between herself and this stranger. It was then Maia turned her head and two silouttes illuminated in the moonlight. Her eyes locked with Cat's, who was shaking her head profusely and trying to say something, but her voice was fuzzy and muffled from the tape that blocked her mouth. Jade was beside Car, her head lulled and her body perfectly still.

Maia tried to run for them but was held back by the guards behind her. For the time in her life, she was glad her adopted mother had forced her to take self-defence. Sharply she bit down on his hand and stomped on his foot. She wiggled free from his clasp and darted over to Cat her hands cupping Cat's flushed and bruised cheeks before she ripped off the tape.

"Oh my god." Maia demanded, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Maia" Cat said desperately, "Why are you hear, get out I don't want you to get hurt."

Cat screamed as Maia was roughly pushed aside and forced onto the ground. The sound of his hand coming into contact with Cat's cheek echoed around the room. Cat whimpered pathetically as she tried to push herself away from him.

"She's a person not an animal!" Maia screamed at him, "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"One more word from you!" He bellowed, "and I will change my mind about letting Robbie's family live."

She felt as if she had been sucker punched in the gut, all of her breath had been sucked from her as she gaped at him. Maia knew better than to say anything else, instead she scuttled back to the wall and brought her knees up her chin.

"There!" He smiled cruelly, "Isn't it so much better when you girls behave? If Caterina had of behaved all of the years ago everything would have been so much different."

He crouched down beside Maia and tenderly cupped her chin, "I don't mean to frighten you."

She flinched away from him, her pulse rapidly beating, "So what's the plan?"

His perfectly shaped eyebrows scrunched together in confusion as she sighed, "What do you mean?"

"You have me, you have Cat." Maia mused, "Everything you ever wanted. All the pieces of your twisted puzzle have come together. What are you going to do now?"

"We are going to be family." He said with such ease it made Maia's stomach squirm, "Maia the possibilities for you. What you could have become if Cat hadn't stolen you away from me, you would have been so powerful. You still could be, how you took my man out just there now, how you so gave yourself up to save a family. Very noble. You'll make a fine daughter Maia Jacobs."

"That's not my name." Maia whispered, "My name is Maia Olson."

"But you were a Jacobs first." He muttered, as he shot a look of pure loathing at Cat, "Caterina fed you with so many lies. The matter of your adopted parents I will admit does prose a problem. Caterina did not make this easy for me. There will have to be a lot of casualties to keep me with you."

"No!" Maia interrupted, "Please don't hurt them."

"If you behave yourself." He chastised her, "Cut all contact and emancipate yourself from them I don't see any reason why I will have to."

Maia nodded silently and she was rewarded with another one of his cold, dark grins as she calmly took a seat opposite Cat.

"Now Cat." He warned her, "You know how much it pains me that you are all tied up. Now if you obey me, may I shall loosen you binds. My first question: Does she know what we are?"

Cat shook her head, "Please Eddy."

"What are we?" Maia demanded, "What is he talking about?"

"Powerful families." Eddy stated with an air of arrogance, "The Valentines have done business with the Jacobs for years. You're grandfather however, tried to con me from what was mine. A lost a lot of money and a lot of faith in the Valentines. Cat was penance."

"Don't." Cat warned, "She doesn't need to know."

"He sold her to me." He continued, "His own daughter so I would leave him alone. I decided not to kill him. Beside Caterina, Maia should be proud." He bit back, "She will want for nothing, be protected at all times."

"This business." Maia asked, "Is it legal?"

"We bend the law at times." He responded coolly, "But someone has to do what we do. I could train you Maia, you could be the first female boss in Jacob history when I retire."

She looked at him wildly, her head spinning. She tried to control her breathing, there was just no way that all of this was her reality. It what possible world could she be the daughter of a mobster. Maia averted her eyes to Cat, her eyes stinging with pain as she stared at the woman. So much she understood now, all of the previous anger she had felt towards this woman melted away. Cat had tried so hard to prevent this from happening. She had made herself miserable over a situation that was beyond her control.

"Boss." The deep voice of his goon called, "We have a situation we need to discuss."

He huffed in annoyance and he glared at Maia, "Try anything and Sophia, Cecelia, Robbie and your parents will all be but a memory."

He strode out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar as he ordered one of his men to stand guard. Maia slowly etched her way over to Cat who was purposely not meeting her gaze.

"I'm sorry Cat." Maia told her, "I get why you gave me away now. Why you didn't want me in your life."

Cat whipped her head around and whispered frantically, "Listen to me. We don't have much time. He's going to kill Jade, he thought I was passed out but I heard him say it. It doesn't matter what happens to me but you and Jade need to get out."

"No." Maia breathed, "No… no this isn't fair."

"This is the plan. Listen quickly." Cat told her, "You're the only one who has the opportunity to do it."

"Robbie is going to call my parents." She told Cat, "We can all-."

"Maia there isn't time!" Cat hissed, "Please, I know I don't deserve this. But please treat me as your mother and please listen to what I'm going to tell you."

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Maia had listened, she had tried to rebel as quietly as possible to not draw attention. The things Cat had told her, the confessions that had poured out of that woman's mouth. It was crazy, it was the most Maia had ever heard Cat say. She spoke softly, wistfully even as Cat Valentine revealed her life from the moment she became a Valentine until this very moment. Cat gave Maia the answers to every question she had. Of course, Maia would have preferred if this had of been over coffee instead of a life or death situation. But ever since she had learnt of Cat Valentine, her life had been anything but normal.

"You're so brave." Cat told her, "You were raised so well. I'm so proud of you."

On that final note, Maia rose with new found confidence. No one was coming to her rescue, she had to be her own hero.

As soon as she slammed the door open, Edward whipped his head around in surprise. Maia smiled coyly as she raised her hands slowly in surrender, "Don't worry I'm not here to fight!"

She strode into the kitchen and calmly began to pour herself a drink.

"Just what do you think you are doing?"

Maia grinned, "I thought about everything. Had a chat with my mother, if you can even call her that."

She poured a healthy glass of whiskey and pushed it towards him he took it cautiously as she poured herself one as well, "I wanted to finally have a drink with you. I've decided I want to be a part of the business. I want you to teach me how to be strong."

He raised his glass to her, "I knew you were a smart girl. How could you not be you are my daughter after all."

"So tell me." Maia said, "How big is this operation you have?"

"Not very." He admitted, "We remain small, less betrayals that way."

"That's clever." Maia said, "How have you never been caught?"

"You answered that yourself." He told her, "I'm very clever."

"I'm sure you are." Maia said, "But you made a mistake."

"Is that so." He said, "How so Maia."

"Well firstly." Maia told him calmly, "You looked at me and saw a strong woman, and yet you didn't tie me up. So while you went to take care of business. I took care of my own."

"My men."

"Oh they are fine." Maia said, "You just didn't do enough research, you didn't know enough about Jade West and her obsession with the horror films and memorabilia from said films. A quick stab to the legs was plenty of time to gag them and tie them up. Especially when you have help."

"Help?" he spat out, the drink quivering in his hand.

"Oh yes." Maia laughed, a sudden rush of power coursing through her body, "See you underestimated me, but you severely underestimated Cat Valentine."

He rushed to the door but Cat and Jade had already moved, "Where is she?!" he demanded.

"I talked it over with Jade as I dragged her out to safety." Maia said coolly, "She doesn't want this house anymore. Too many bad memories. I have to say I agree."

"Don't play games with me Maia!" he ordered.

"I thought you liked to play games?" she bit back.

"Maia Jacobs!" Edward said darkly, "One more move and I press this button on my phone and everyone you love is gone."

Cat was quicker, like lightning she shot out from the shadows and snatched the phone of his hand and smashed it beneath her feet. She smiled widely as if this was her greatest achievement.

He grabbed her by the hair and pulled out his gun, "You little bitch it won't save him you know! I should have killed Robbie Shapiro when I had the chance."

He hadn't notice that the trail of alcohol Maia had placed on the floor how she carelessly and frantically threw it over ever piece of furniture in the room. She didn't even know what possessed her to do this. All she knew was Cat was in danger she saw the rage in his eyes and the gun pointed at her mother's head and she knew she had to something.

"Hey!" she yelled, his attention was drawn to her as she stood there with the newly lit candle, "Touch her and I promise you your death will be anything but quick."

He laughed cruelly as he put Cat in a headlock, "Spoken like a true Jacobs."

This time it was Maia's turn to smile cruelly, "That just the thing Edward. I'm not a Jacobs."

He scoffed, "Once I sort out your mother you can bet I will take care of them as well and you'll no longer be an Olson either."

"That's where you are wrong again Edward." Maia said defiantly, "I'm not Jacobs or an Olson... I'm a Shapiro."

The shock stalled him giving Cat time to grab the gun and struggle free. There was a blast, a shot rippled through the air and Maia, in a complete state of shock...

Let the candle fall to floor.


End file.
